On the evening of Saturday, January 14, the Brentwood Grade 12s, led by Head Prefect Ian M and Grad President Emma F, played host to seventy-five Grade 12s from Shawnigan Lake School, a school very similar to Brentwood just a few minutes away up the Shawnigan-Mill Bay Road. With the help of Mr. Felix and Shawnigan’s Deputy Head, Mrs. Kingston, Emma and Ian were able to coordinate a get together for the combined Grad Classes with Shawnigan’s Head Prefect and Deputy Head Prefect. Set in Crooks Hall, both grad classes enjoyed a steak and prawn dinner prepared by the dining staff, and took this opportunity to realize that the differences between the two schools are few.
   
Like Brentwood, Shawnigan Lake School is a coeducational independent boarding school in the Cowichan Valley, specializing in a university prep program. In their own pursuit of excellence, which began in 1916, it seems that they encountered a worthy opponent in Brentwood College and its richly talented population of students and teachers. Since 1923, the students of both schools have had a strong presence on one another’s campuses, usually in athletics or debate tournaments, always being the one rival that ‘must’ be beaten.

Athletics contests between the two schools are known as Showcase games, and they bring in enormous crowds and are highly competitive, both on the field and in the bleachers. Though Brentwood and Shawnigan teams face off frequently every school year, the positive relationship that should exist between these two schools is not always nurtured. It is for this reason that the leaders of both schools decided to initiate a “mixer” with the students: the similarities of our schools should be celebrated with one another, not used against one another in what is considered athletic “mortal combat”.
   
It was with this in mind that the diners were graced with a speech from Mr. Phil Jarvis, who has worked both schools, and now holds a position at Shawnigan preparing for their upcoming centennial. Mr. Jarvis strongly emphasized the importance of forging relationships between the two student bodies as they could prove invaluable later on in life. It was with those wise words that he quoted the iconic Lady GaGa, and directed us to the McNeill Centre to “Just Dance,” as the remainder of the soirée was deejayed by Brentwood’s own Scott P and Shawnigan’s Maxwell O.
   
Head Prefect Ian M was beside himself upon mentioning that this get together will go down in history as the first event of its kind, and he hopes that it become a tradition to be passed down to the grad classes that follow. Being able to sit down and have a meal with someone new was not only a change in conversation, but also a change in perspective, something we all can benefit from. Some Brentwood students realized how lucky we are to have our waterfront campus, others that the rugby guys aren’t killing machines. This dinner and dance definitely succeeded in bringing new perspective and forming new bonds with our neighbours from up the road, but when Brentwood plays Shawnigan we can be assured that the competition will always be fierce.

Sarah M